Transcripts/Triple Threat
:music :Spike: Is the banner even? Are the flowers in place? By which I mean "completely out of view". I'm pretty sure dragons don't like flowers. And what about the Ceremonial Dragon Fire Flame of Friendship? Is it still flaming? :bursts :Twilight Sparkle: Spike, everything looks great! You're getting yourself worked up for no reason. :Spike: I have lots of reasons. In fact, I wrote them down. :Starlight Glimmer: sighs You've been hanging around Twilight for too long. :Twilight Sparkle: nervously :Spike: Reason number one – I invited Dragon Lord Ember to Ponyville today. Reason two – the Dragon Lord is a dragon. Reason three – she's coming here to learn more about friendship. :Twilight Sparkle: According to Ember's letters, the dragons are trying to be friends, but competing is in their nature, and it's leading to more and more fights. :Spike: Which brings me to to reason number four. The Dragon Lord wants my advice, and as the new official Equestrian friendship ambassador to the dragons, I can't let her down. :Twilight Sparkle: I know you feel a lot of pressure, but you've got this, Spike! :Spike: I... I just want things to be perfect. :tap :Spike: gasps Thorax! You're in Ponyville! :Thorax: Of course I am, silly! You invited me. And I'm not one to back out of an invitation. Hey, Twilight! Hey, Starlight! :Thorax: Oooh! I can't believe you did all this for me! Great banner! Love the stage! What's this flame thingy? Oh, it's pretty! :Twilight Sparkle: to Spike You invited Thorax over to Ponyville on the same day as Ember?! :Spike: Apparently. :Starlight Glimmer: That doesn't seem like a good idea. How are you gonna entertain them both? :Spike: I have no idea. whimpers : :Spike: I completely forgot! Thorax wrote and said he needed to talk, and I told him to come over. I didn't realize it was the same day I invited Ember! What am I gonna do?! chattering :Starlight Glimmer: Well, maybe they'll like each other. :Spike: Probably not. Ember is tough and self-assured and intimidating. And Thorax is... :Thorax: Spike, I'm so glad you invited me! You are one of my closest, nicest, most caring, most understanding friends ever! Ooh! Is that ice in the shape of a dragon? :warbles :Starlight Glimmer: Yeah, I see your point. They might not get each other. :Spike: Or worse – they'll hate each other! And if the leader of the changelings and the Dragon Lord get into a fight... gulps I could be responsible for starting a war that could ruin Equestria as we know it! gasps :music :explosion :Spike: hyperventilates :Twilight Sparkle: I'm sure that won't happen. Now pull it together. :Spike: So, heh, Thorax, heh, everything good with you? :Thorax: Well, honestly, no. Not really. I have indigestion. Not sure if it's the new diet or stress. Or maybe it's both. :Spike: No! :Thorax: Yeah, it really could be both. And it might be affecting my sleeping, too. I'm a real tosser and turner. :Twilight Sparkle: Uh-oh! whimpers :Spike: Sounds like you really need to unwind. Uh, how about a, uh... a trip to the castle? Heh. You can't miss that view. :Twilight Sparkle: Yes, the castle! I'll give you a personal tour! :Thorax: Uh, aren't you coming? :Spike: Yeah, I'm just gonna... grab some ice cream for us and catch up. Heh-heh. :whip :whoosh :boom :plays :Spike: Dragon Lord Ember, as the official Equestrian friendship ambassador for the Dragon Lands and for Ponyville, I, Spike of Ponyville, welcome you to... uh, Ponyville. to himself I gotta work on my official speech. :Ember: Okay, thanks. chuckles Right. The hug thing. :Spike: chuckles :Ember: This place has a lot of colors. In the Dragon Lands, everything's just rocks or the color of ash. sneezes :gasp :Ember: That's probably why. :screaming :Ember: Hey, Twilight! :Starlight Glimmer: Actually, I'm Star''light. Starlight Glimmer. Nice to meet you. :'Ember': Oh, sorry. I'm really gonna have to get used to these pony names. Lots of "-lights" and shiny things. So, where is Twilight? :'Spike': She's in her castle. D'oh! :'Ember': We should go visit her then. Part of friendship is saying "hi" to your friends, right? :'Spike': Uh, well, yeah, but... stammering :'Ember': You're making weird noises. Do you have a stomachache? :'Spike': Dah. I think I feel one coming on. :'Ember': Well, you know what us dragons say. "Push past the pain!" Now, let's go. :'Spike': Or we could stay here. :'Ember': Or I could go without you. :'Starlight Glimmer': laughs Ah, I like her. :'Spike': Ohhh. :opens :'Spike': Good. They're not here. :'Ember': What was that? :'Spike': Uh, I... I said, "It's all clean in here!" Uh, you must be hungry from your travels. Please, I'd love to present you with an official friendship welcome banquet. :'Ember': loudly So this is something friends do? I could get used to this. chomping :'Starlight Glimmer': Actually, that's not food. :'Spike': aside Dragons love gems! :'Starlight Glimmer': Fine, but ''you're telling Twilight what happened to her wall. :Ember: chomping :Spike: Just keep her here. Ember Okay, yeah! laughs Enjoy all the, uh... crystal... things! :Ember: Where are you going? I thought this was an official friendship banquet. :Spike: Just gotta use the little dragons' room! :Ember: chomps :Twilight Sparkle: So this is my comfy chair for fictional reads. grunts This is my studying chair because the hard back keeps me awake. :opens :Thorax: Oh, Spike! I'm so glad you're here! quietly This castle visit is getting weird. Twilight really likes chairs. Oh, what happened to the ice cream? :Spike: What? Oh, right! Uh, they ran out. Heh. Hey, I'm really sorry, but I gotta borrow Twilight quickly. :Twilight Sparkle: Aah! :thud :Spike: Be right back! :Thorax: But we didn't get to talk yet! groans :Spike: Ember's here! :Twilight Sparkle: I know. I saw you coming and had to distract Thorax by showing him chairs. Why did you bring Ember to the castle of all places? :Spike: I don't know! Ember was asking for you, Thorax wants to talk with me. We need to switch places! They might be getting suspicious. :Twilight Sparkle: All we have to do is make both Thorax and Ember feel special and keep them apart for a few more hours. We can do this. :sounds :Spike: Dah! What's happening?! whimpers :Twilight Sparkle: I think it's the map. It's calling... you. Apparently, you also have to solve a friendship problem! :sting :Spike: The map is calling me?! :Twilight Sparkle: Oh, amazing! The map is really reaching out! :beat :Twilight Sparkle: Not a good time? I get it. :opens :Starlight Glimmer: Spike, are you here? Ember's eaten all of Twilight's decorations, and—oh! Hey, Twilight! gasps Glowing map... gulps Glowing spikes... That's not good. :Spike: I know! :Starlight Glimmer: At least your friendship problem is in Ponyville? Heh. :Spike: Okay, okay. To pull this off, I'm gonna need both of you to help. You two need to keep Ember and Thorax separate while I get ice cream. :Twilight Sparkle: You mean "find the friendship problem". :Spike: Yeeeees! Go easy on me. I'm under a lot of pressure. :Spike: Friendship problem? Anypony gotta friendship problem here? Any problems to solve? Friendship problems? Friendship problems! Anypony got a friendship problem here? No? Okay. :Lyra Heartstrings: grunts Well, I'' think vanilla strawberry cream ''is overused! :Sweetie Drops: Hmph. :Spike: Yes! Fighting! Uh, I mean, what seems to be the problem? :Ember: Mmm. Mmm. I'm stuffed. belches :Twilight Sparkle: Ember, there you are! :Ember: Okay, right. More pony hugs. :Twilight Sparkle: How's your trip to Ponyville so far? :Ember: Well, I'm certainly learning a lot about friendship. I had no idea it was polite to decorate your walls in your friends' favorite foods! :Twilight Sparkle: nervously Oh, my. :Ember: Where'd Spike and Starlight go? I feel like I'm being avoided. snorts :Twilight Sparkle: Nooooo. They're just making sure everything is perfect for your welcome party later. In the meantime, how about I show you around town? :Ember: Sounds good. I can't exactly learn about friendship if I don't make new friends. :Twilight Sparkle: sighs :Thorax: sighs :closes :Thorax: Oh! :Starlight Glimmer: Uh, hey, Thorax. Um, Twilight and Spike had some boring official paperwork to deal with, so looks like you and I get to hang out. What would you like to do? :Thorax: But I wanted to talk with Spike. He said he'd be right back. :Starlight Glimmer: Oh, you will. But first, how about we grab a bite to eat? :Thorax: Huh. Well, you know, now that you've said it, I am a little hungry. Is there a dining room in the castle? :Starlight Glimmer: No! I mean, yeah, but that's castle food. If you want the good stuff, we gotta go to town. Phew! :Spike: ...and that's why you should never let cupcake flavors get in the way of your friendship. :Lyra Heartstrings: Huh. I guess I never thought of it that way. Thanks, Spike! :Spike: Oh, come on! Glow! :Thorax: Spike! There you are! Uh, done with your boring paperwork, I see. :Starlight Glimmer: nervously Uh-huh. Uh-huh. :Spike: Yep. laughs I am done with whatever Starlight says I was doing. :Starlight Glimmer: Thorax wanted to get out of the castle. I thought coming to town was a really, really great idea. :Thorax: Well, maybe now we can talk. :Spike: Uh, sssssure. :Starlight Glimmer: I'll leave you guys to it. :Thorax: First of all, I want to say thank you for having me over. I'm in a bit of a leadership pickle, and I could use some advice. :Spike: Well, I definitely want to help you out as quickly as possible. :Thorax: Here's my problem. There's this renegade group of changelings who still feed off of love. Even though I said, "Hey let's not do that anymore," they say, "Hey, this is how we've been doing things for hundreds of years..." crossfades ...but it's like they don't want to, even though I'm the leader and I have to... out :sounding interested :Ember: Hello, I am Ember, daughter of Torch, winner of the Gauntlet of Fire, and lord of all dragons! roars :scream :Ember: Usually when I do that, the dragons are eager to meet me. :Twilight Sparkle: That's not how ponies make friends. :Ember: Ah, I get it. :Derpy: slurps :Ember: This is a weird friendship thing you ponies do, right? :splat :honk! :beat :Starlight Glimmer: Uh, you guys are in town, too? :Ember: What are you talking about? You've been with me this whole time. :Starlight Glimmer: No. I'm Star''light. :beat :'Ember': Riiiight. I'm sorry, but you can't blame me. You both look and act so much alike. :'Twilight Sparkle''' and Starlight Glimmer: What?! :Thorax: ...and they said to me they just keep saying the same thing. You know, I think my leadership problem started in childhood. I must've been three when... crossfades ...three's a different story, a-and you've definitely gotta hear it. But the story about my brother was when I was two... or was I one? :Crusoe Palm: This is my seat! I saw it first! :"Rainbow Stars": Well, I'' got here first! :'Spike': Thorax, uh, excuse me for a second. :'Crusoe Palm''' and "Rainbow Stars": growl :Spike: Ponies, please! If I may, I think I can help solve this friendship problem. You two should sit together. You both like the same place, you both ordered muffins, you're both ponies. I think if you made a little effort, you'd find— Whoa! Okay, that had to have done it. Come on, spikes. Glow! sighs :Thorax: Hey, that was really great advice. So what do you think I'' should do? :'Spike': gasps Uh, actually, I, uh... need a minute... alone... to, uh, ''really come up with great advice! pants I'll be right back. :Thorax: sighs Great. No problem. Leave me again. It's fine. :Ember: I'm just saying you're both purple ponies with purple hair. You both have cutie marks with sparkly things. :Starlight Glimmer: chuckles Mine's more of a glimmer. Heh. :Ember: How is that different? Oh, good. Spike. Can you please tell these two I'm right? They look very similar. :Spike: Uh... Well, y'know, one thing friends do is let something go when it's upsetting somepony else. :Ember: But I'm right! Besides, who are you to be telling me about friendship? I've barely seen you all day! :Spike: Uh, well, I've seen you. :Ember: Are you calling me a liar?! :Spike: chatters :Thorax: Hey! No one yells at my friend! :noise :Thorax: growl :Ember: Spike, get away from the bear! :Twilight Sparkle: Actually, the bear is a changeling. And he's quite gentle. :Thorax: Not anymore! roar :Ember: roars :Thorax: growl :Spike: screams My worst fears are happening! :Spike: Noooo! :Thorax: pants Back away, Spike! I'm not gonna let this dragon harm a scale on your back! :Ember: You back away! I'm not gonna let you harm him! Wait. Did you say you're not gonna let me harm Spike? :Thorax: Yeah! :Ember: But that's what I'm doing! :Thorax: Uh, what? :Ember: Yeah, what? :Spike: panicked Equestria as we know it is over! The war that pits changeling against dragon is about to begin! And it's all my fault! My title of Equestria's friendship ambassador is a lie—! Oh. Hey. You guys aren't fighting? :Ember: Why would we be fighting? :Spike: Because I accidentally invited you both over to Ponyville on the same day? :Ember and Thorax: So what? :Spike: So I... was trying to keep you apart because I didn't think you'd get along. :Ember: Oh. I get it. You thought he wouldn't like me just because I'm a dragon and I'm bad at friendship? :Spike: No, no, of course not! But— Wait. Isn't that why you're here? :Ember: I'' can say I'm bad at friendship. ''You can't say it about me! You know what? I don't wanna talk about it. :Spike: Wait, please! sighs Thorax I'm sorry. :Thorax: No, no, it's cool. You thought I would be too soft, and someone like Ember would never respect me. Just like my own changelings! :Spike: No, that's not it! Thorax, wait! Oh, no... What have I done? :splash :kick :splash :Ember: Why are you still here? :Thorax: sighs Because I'm having trouble leading my pack, so I don't really wanna go home. :Ember: Wait, you're in charge? chuckles Oh, boy. You need to be more assertive. :Thorax: Well, that's my problem. I don't know how! I tried asking them to please follow my directions. I even offered a prize, and then— :Ember: Shhh! Stop talking. :beat :Ember: That's how you do it. :Thorax: Whoa! That just gave me chills. :Ember: I know you have it in you. You turned into a bear to defend Spike. :Thorax: Huh, I guess I can be tough when I'm defending my friends, but when I'm just enforcing my rules, I-I feel unsure of myself. :Ember: There's nothing to be unsure of. You're the leader for a reason. Make a decision and let it be known that the decision is final. And if that doesn't work, turn into a bear. :Thorax: Oh, well, that's good advice. :Ember: I know it is. :Thorax: So what's your deal? Why do you think you're so bad at friendship? :Ember: I don't want to talk about it. :Thorax: Oh, you have to! How else are you gonna solve your problems? :Ember: Through feats of strength and fire duels, of course. roars :explosion :Thorax: Uh, how does that help? :crunch :Ember: Crushing another dragon in competition establishes my dominance and makes me feel great. :Thorax: Right, but, uh, how do you think they feel? :Ember: Humiliated! Ashamed! They'd probably wanna run away and bury themselves under a rock and... never come out. They're probably sad. Kinda low. Definitely not happy. :Thorax: That's because that kind of competition can divide you. And it doesn't get to the heart of the issue. Talking about your feelings does. :Ember: sneezes Ugh! I think I'm allergic to feelings. :Thorax: You know you don't have to be sappy... :Ember: blows :Thorax: ...or huggy-feely about it! But you should let your friends know how you feel. :Ember: Uh, I know where we can start. :whoosh :Thorax: Where? Ohhhh. Spike. Hah. I got there. :Spike: I think they're gone. They probably never want to see me again. :thuds :Starlight Glimmer: Or they want to see you now. :Spike: gulps :Ember: Guess what, Spike. :Spike: I know. I'm so sorry. :Ember: Let me talk about this! I... feel... strains mad. sighs :Thorax: Okaaaay... That's a good first attempt. Now maybe try to be more specific? :Ember: limbs, breathes deeply I'm... sighs upset! :Spike: You have every right to be. :Ember: I know I do! And I know I need to tell you how I feel because my friend Thorax said it would make me feel better. And it does! :Thorax: Yeah! And I have no problem telling you what you did was wrong because my friend Ember is helping me be more assertive! :thud :Spike: Whoa. :Ember: Nice. :Ember and Thorax: Ha-ha! :Spike: You guys should be mad at me. I was so worried about how it could go wrong, I didn't even think about how it could go right. sighs Can you forgive me? :Ember: I really do feel better. So, yeah. I'm good. :Thorax: Hah. Me, too. sounds :Ember: groans Again? :Spike: laughing :shimmering :Spike: No way! It's finally happening! I solved the friendship problem! :Starlight Glimmer: Actually, you created the friendship problem by not trusting your friends. :Spike: Yeah, but then I solved it by learning my lesson. I should have told my two friends about each other immediately instead of assuming they wouldn't get along. :Twilight Sparkle: Good job, Spike. :Ember: Is this another part of pony friendship? Telling each other what you learned all the time? :Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike: giggling :Starlight Glimmer: Yeah, pretty much. :Spike: Yup. :chattering :Spike: loudspeaker So, as a show of unity, I present the Dragon Fire Flame of Friendship to both Dragon Lord Ember and Thorax, leader of the changeling pack! May the flame of friendship burn for eternity. :cheering :Ember: sneezes :whoosh :gasps :beat :Ember: You should have more things made of rocks. :beat :Spike, Ember, and Thorax: laughing :credits